The 2011 Osprey Viper/Verve packs

Osprey continues to offer more choices for cyclists in their expanding selection of hydration packs.  New for 2011 are the Viper and Verve line.  With four sizes each, from the 250 cubic inch '4' to the 800 cubic inch '13', the Verve is unique in that it is aimed at the lady riders among us.  Both the Verve and the Vipers are priced a bit more modestly than the Raptor line of packs (like we reviewed here and here), but have a strong family resemblance. 

I asked Jeff Fox, marketing guy for Osprey's line of MTB hydration packs, just what was up with the Viper/Verve line.

In a nutshell the Viper/Verve series of packs offers to the consumer Osprey's Hydraulics hydration system in a more simplified, lighter weight version at a sharper price point.  The Viper/Verve still utilizes the Hydraform reservoir, delivery system and bite valve.  Hipbelt and harness features have been simplified to reduce weight and costs while still remaining extremely comfortable and ergonomic.  Features such as the LidLock, blinker light attachment, cell phone pocket and organizational pockets provide convenient features for the recreational mountain biker, trail runner and hiker.  The lighter weight and smaller sizes (Viper/Verve 4) also act as great race packs for carrying just the basics and some liquid.  Viper and Verve also offer gender specific sizing for a more comfortable fit.  The Verve is designed with a shorter torso size than the Viper.

This series of packs is distinguished from the Raptor series through a simplified feature set, primarily the backpanel, harness and hipbelt.  A webbing hipbelt is used instead of the mesh covered hipbelt with pockets used in the Raptor.  Comparably sized Viper/Verves will retail for about $15 less than their Raptor equivalents.

The Cyclist received a pre-production Verve 7, the 400 cubic inch size with a 2 liter reservoir.  Since it is a women specific pack, I gave it to a friend and fellow rider, Kendra, to see if the Verve 7 lived up to its goals.  Note that some of the details on this pack, since it was an early sample, will change in the production packs (such as some colors and small details), but that will not affect the overall fit and feel of the pack. 

Here is what Kendra had to say about the Verve 7:

Overall this is a great pack. It fits well and is very comfortable. I could move and breath easily while wearing it. I did not find myself getting any back aches or tension in the shoulders.  Also the hard panel in the hydration pack (part of the Hydralock system) prevents any objects stuffed in the bag from uncomfortably poking through to the back, especially as the reservoir is emptied, something that is a problem on my old hydration pack.

It really has been nice to ride while wearing a pack that is tailored more for my frame. It's snug, secure, and doesn't detract from the ride. There are two roomy storage pockets in addition to the compartment for the reservoir. I really liked that one of the storage pockets has separate compartments for a phone, camera, glasses, etc. Another nice feature is the clip for keys. These things sound minor but when I'm stopping to pull layers in and out of the bag, especially at night, the key clip ensured that my keys wouldn't accidentally be yanked out and end up on the ground.   The compartments make finding the camera and sunglasses easier as well as protecting them. The protective fabric on the inside of the storage pockets is a huge plus. The outer bungee cord was excellent for compressing my windbreaker into place, and tonight I discovered that I could strap down a winter vest with the windbreaker, so this pack is capable of carrying more gear securely than it appears to. Basically, I can comfortably carry three core clothing layers, a power bar, camera, spare tube and some tools if needed.

The magnet that attaches the bite valve across the chest is very convenient and makes fiddling to get the valve attached and reattached less of an issue. I should also point out that on the outside of the pack is an Osprey lidlock for attaching a helmet too. That is handy for keeping your helmet and pack together while traveling or when climbing up a fire road on a hot day. Another convenience is the small, tight knit pouch on the left shoulder harness, really convenient for packing energy gels, bars etc.

Also a nice feature, the bite valve can be turned off so that the rider doesn't have to worry that the valve will leak while transporting it in a vehicle. The bite valve is of a higher quality than on most packs.  Good stuff.
 
The reservoir is easy to remove and re-install with the Hydralock System. The only problem with the system is that it makes filling the reservoir difficult in a sink with a short spout. It's hard to angle the opening of the reservoir in this situation in order to fill it. I had no problem filling it in my kitchen sink which has a bit more room. The screw top lid was easy to remove and close-- much more solid here than the last pack I demoed. Also, maybe because the pack is new, the water out of the reservoir doesn't seem to develop any nasty taste. Holding 70 ounces (2L), the reservoir is the perfect size for my weekday/night rides that tend to run 10 to 20 miles but I probably wouldn't stretch it too much beyond that, especially in the hot summer months.

As far as aesthetics go, the colors are nice and I actually like the mustard color of the interior protective lining. Osprey should not be afraid to use edgier colors on their womens' products.

Downsides:
My main complaint with this pack is the length of the adjustment of the chest strap. Each side of the shoulder straps has a strip where the chest strap may be raised and lowered. This worked best for me lowered all the way, however I need to point out that with a lot of clothing layers added on for colder night rides, completely lowered was not enough. In order to clip the magnetized bite valve in place with ease while riding, I would suggest adding another two inches of length to the adjustment. The interior protective lining is a great idea. I would suggest adding the protective lining to the insides of the other pockets as well since this will help camera displays and sunglass lenses from getting scratched. The other suggestion I would make is that the drinking tube be detachable for ease of cleaning, though that's really not a big deal.

The bottom line is that this is a great pack, fits well, is very comfortable and frankly, I hardly noticed it while I was riding, not to mention that it did a great job with organizing gear.

Osprey's Verve packs can be found on the web, here.